


The Ring Series # 4  Daniel's Birthday

by thealphagate_archivist



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Adult Content, Alternate Universe, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-03-21
Updated: 2006-03-21
Packaged: 2019-02-02 14:30:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 21,830
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12728400
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thealphagate_archivist/pseuds/thealphagate_archivist
Summary: The guys eagerly await their vacation week, which will include an unexpected crisis for Jack (and Daniel), the Fourth of July, and Daniel's birthday.  This fic is the story of their life from July 1 to July 8.  It can stand alone if need be.  No real need to read the first three parts first, although you will need to realize that Jack is now commander of the SGC in this series, with the rank of Brig. General.





	The Ring Series # 4  Daniel's Birthday

**Author's Note:**

> Note from the archivists: this story was originally archived at [The Alpha Gate](https://fanlore.org/wiki/The_Alpha_Gate), a Stargate SG-1 archive, which began migration to the AO3 in 2017 when its hosting software, eFiction, was no longer receiving support. To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in November 2017. We e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are this creator and it hasn't transferred to your AO3 account, please contact us using the e-mail address on [The Alpha Gate collection profile](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/thealphagate).

  
Author's notes: Warnings: Adult language.  


* * *

JACK

I lifted my hands over my head, fingers interlaced, and stretched like a cat. Sitting at my desk all morning, hunched over SGC paperwork, was not my favorite part of my new job. I slipped my reading glasses off my face and rubbed at my eyes.

I looked at the photos on my desk. Me in Iraq, back in the day. My son, Charlie, shortly before he died, forever ten years old now. And my favorite, a group photo of SG-1. Teal'c, so tall and dark and proud, golden tattoo of Apophis on his forehead, his eyes burning through the camera lens. He was holding his staff weapon as always, looking like the rock he was, inside and out. And beautiful Carter, my warrior princess, although I never would call her that to her face. Her blonde hair short and spiky around her intelligent, sensitive face, blue eyes wide open. With a P90 slung around her shoulder, all woman, all soldier, all scientist, one of the few I trusted with my six back then. And there was me, of course. I had a P90 right there too. Never went anywhere off world without it on its sling around my chest, even to the bathroom. I remembered those days, only a few months ago actually, when any time we went through the gate, I literally thought there'd be one of those damned snakeheads jumping out at me any minute. I shuddered all over again, thinking about it. God, they creeped me out then, and they still did.

And finally Daniel. So tall and proud and smart and complicated and mine. Mine! My love. My life then, and now. Standing beside me in the photo, blue eyes gleaming, just a little smile playing around his full lips. Hurry up and take the damned picture, will ya I can almost hear him thinking. I'm grateful to have this photo of SG-1 so I can have an excuse to keep Daniel's photo on my desk. He is my family, and I want and need to have him there.

I decided to get up and walk around my office for a minute, just to stretch my legs. Putting a hand on the small of my back, I listened to various bones crack in protest as I took a few steps around my desk. It felt better just with those small movements. My old knees appreciated the stretch too.

My eyes took in my spacious new office that Uncle Sam had designed for me after my promotion and being given the command of the SGC. I'd only been in my new office for a few weeks, and I still felt a little guilty when I looked around at my surroundings. Compared to the little room that Hammond had back in his day, this one had all the modern comforts anyone could ask for. The walls were an off white color instead of the depressing gray we were all so used to inside the mountain. My office was really the equivalent of any executive's, except I didn't get to have any windows to stare out of. Something about being buried a half a mile down inside a mountain sort of didn't lend itself to windows with views. And anyway, I'd gotten used to that, years ago. 

I was located across the hall from the briefing room now. I was still plenty close enough to keep my finger on the pulse of the place. It was great having the new space, including an adjoining office for my assistant. When I had official visits from alien contingents, or when government officials from our own country came in, I always felt pride for what we had accomplished at the SGC, and what we continued to achieve. The American and Air Force flags behind my desk, my prints of my favorite aircraft on the walls, the potted plants strategically placed here and there, thick dark blue carpet on the floor, my big mahogany desk with the most comfortable chair I could find, all made it a pretty great place to be. I was proud to be where I was, doing what I was doing, still trying to make a difference, as we all were. 

So what was this antsy feeling I was struggling with? I checked my watch. It was only 1100 hours?

Checking the watch on my left wrist put my eagle ring that I wore 24/7 on my left hand in my line of sight, so I took a second to focus on it. A gift from Daniel at Christmas, I thought of it as my wedding band. Daniel and I had had no ceremony to publicly formalize our relationship. But our lawyers had made us legal next of kin, full beneficiaries of each other's estates, and that made both of us feel connected, maybe not romantically, but in a practical, worldly way. In a way, like any married couple. The legal stuff, once signed, felt like a secure anchor to me.

I closed my eyes for another second or two and let myself think about Daniel. He was in the same facility, a couple of floors away, and these days we didn't see each other much at work. I saw him at staff meetings, or when Daniel came in to brief individual SG teams about protocol, diplomacy, history, or maybe translation work, anything that off world teams might need to know in order to cope and succeed in their missions. As head of the SGC archaeology department, the most able linguist on staff, and someone with many years of field experience, his time was chock full and much in demand. He still traveled off world, to supervise archaeological digs, but only to places that were as safe as I could make them sure to be. This had been at my request, but with his full agreement.

I never wanted to have to worry about him in some uncontrolled situation again. Both of us wanted to be safe. Of course I wanted all my SG teams to be safe, and constantly was concerned about the first contact teams, knowing first hand the dangers out there. But Daniel had paid his dues, as had I, and now it was time to let others do what our SG-1 had done for so long.

Daniel was probably the most valuable person currently in residence at the SGC. *Well, not that you're biased or anything, O'Neill.* I opened my eyes and smiled. Unfortunately, opening my eyes showed me a huge pile of folders and papers on my desk, next to my computer terminal, always waiting for my attention. When that pile was gone, there'd be another. Nice to be needed, huh?

Damn the interminable paper pushing that was my new lot in life. It was now part of every single one of my days at work. Some days I had eight or ten solid hours of papers, papers and more papers, to read, to sign, to make more paperwork in response to. My signature in duplicate, triplicate, here, here and here, as my administrative assistant always said, as we bent over yet another pile of papers with our heads almost touching. I trusted her implicitly. If she said here, my pen was already writing. I paid attention to the fine details where my gut and my brain and my experience told me to, and for the rest I had to trust my very able, very loyal, and very smart staff. And thank God for every one of them. The SGC had not exactly gotten any less complicated or decreased in size since Hammond's retirement five months before.

Five months? Where in hell did time go anyway? I sighed. I was feeling restless today, and a little introspective, which was not usually my style. 

I almost hoped I would hear, "UNAUTHORIZED INCOMING TRAVELER!" so I could rush down to Davis in the control room and order the iris closed, like the man didn't know what to do without my telling him. Sheesh, the place ran 24/7 without me there every single minute, or otherwise how would they ever get the freakin' iris closed without me there to order it done? I smiled again and ran my hand back and forth in my hair.

I was basically pretty damned happy. The SGC was mine to command, a dream I never thought would become reality. When I caught sight of myself in a mirror, and saw the silver star on each of my shoulders, it always made me stop and stare. And on my desk, the nameplate that said BRIG. GEN. JACK O'NEILL always brought me up short for just a second. It had seemed damned embarrassing at the time, when Daniel had presented it to me as a gift on Valentine's Day. But I was getting used to seeing it there.

I had to dress up at work now, the way Hammond always had. Every day, I had to put on a neat uniform, complete with tie and rank insignia and name badge. No more comfy, wrinkled, lived-in fatigues. Just thinking about it, I stuck a finger between my neck and my collar and tried to stretch out my shirt. I sighed again.

The phone on my desk rang. I went over and pushed a button. "Yes, Clark?"

My bright, capable administrative assistant, Staff Sergeant Brigitte Clark's voice came through the speakerphone.

"Doctor Jackson on the line for you, Sir."

"Okay, put him through." I picked up the phone so that Daniel would not come through on the speaker. I never knew with Daniel if it would be personal or professional, or, as it was so often at work, both.

"Hey, Daniel."

"General O'Neill?" came the familiar, beloved voice.

I could picture my love in his comfy, wrinkled, lived-in fatigues, the very same kind that I couldn't wear at work anymore, standing there in his lab. I had to smile to myself. General O'Neill? Daniel must have company.

"Danny, are you wearing your blues today? Have I told you that blue is your color? Brings out the blue in your eyes, and you know what that does to me..."

I kept my voice low, my eyes on my closed office door to make sure Clark didn't come rushing in with another pile of paperwork.

"Um...Okay, that's fine," Daniel told me. "Yes, actually, I am, I had thought of that, but... I mean, I was wondering if I could drop by at lunch and bring you the latest reports from archaeology. I have the final quarterly appropriations and activity reports you were looking for."

"You got company there, Daniel? Do you know what I wish I could do to you right now? Right in front of whoever is there with you, and any other damned person who comes by your door? Ooo, I'd start with your mouth. And then I'd get my hands under your shirt..."

Damn, I was just getting started, but Daniel rushed to interrupt me.

"Fine, General, that sounds like a plan. I'm busy with Foster and... um... Szetela right now, but I could come by about twelve, and we can discuss that. All right?" Daniel sounded out of breath. That was good. Really, really good.

"Let's go to lunch, Daniel. Let's spend a couple of hours together. I am going to explode in this damned office if I don't get away from Clark and her fuckin' paperwork. I need you to tell me again that I look totally fuckable in this uniform, you know, how the stars turn you on and... well... you know! Ya know what? Let's go to O'Malley's and get a steak. Meet me at the truck at twelve. Send Hobbs down to Clark with the stupid paperwork. Fuck it."

There was a little pause while Daniel was undoubtedly contemplating his own never-ending piles of paper work and administrative crap. I could almost picture him looking over at the untidy piles of stuff waiting for him. Daniel would know the level of my frustration just by how many times and in how many grammatical ways I had just used the work fuck with him. Adjective, adverb, verb...

"Sure, okay, General. I'll meet you at twelve. I'll send Foster right over there. See you soon. Bye."

I heard Daniel's phone hanging up in my ear. I chuckled to myself. Sweet. Daniel was blushing. I just knew it. By the firm click I'd heard, I knew that Daniel had hung up the phone like it was on fire.

Smiling, I hung up my own phone, pressed another button, and waited for Clark to pick up.

"Yes, Sir?"

"Clark, I have to go out in a little while. What time do I have to be back this afternoon? I'm going to take part of the afternoon as personal time."

"SG-1's due back at 1600, Sir."

"Okay, Clark, I'll do my best to be back by 1530 then. You have my cell number if you need me, right? I'll keep the phone on."

"Yes, Sir. Take your time. I won't call you unless it's an emergency."

I knew that was true. One of the first things I'd taught my new staff was that my presence wasn't necessary for every wrinkle in the space/time continuum of the SGC. They were all highly trained professionals with the highest security clearance, and one of the things I expected them to grasp was when to handle something and when to call me in for advice and command decisions. So far, that policy had worked out really well. I knew that my being gone with Daniel for a little while was not a problem.

I strolled into my private bathroom adjoining my office. In a few minutes, I was tooth brushed, shaved, changed, and ready to go. I'd have to get back in time to change back before making an appearance in the gate room at 1600. I slipped my electronic door key and SGC ID into my pocket, checked for wallet, cell phone, and keys, and went out to say good-bye to Clark and hello to Daniel.

DANIEL

Damn, I'd been in a rush ever since I'd talked to Jack, clearing my afternoon schedule with my assistant, Airman Hobbs, and getting changed. I was literally out of breath when I rushed up to Jack's big black Ford truck in the parking lot. I loved spontaneous dates like this. They didn't happen often enough for me. 

No Jack yet. I knew that anytime he walked the corridors of the SGC, he was constantly interrupted, greeted, sidetracked, and just generally waylaid. So his progress would have necessarily been slower on the way out than my own.

He had the truck parked in the priority spot reserved for him, so I always knew where to find it. Jack, on the other hand, never knew where I had parked my Subaru and hated "doin' a recon of the whole freakin' lot, Daniel, every time I have to find you wherever you are" as he liked to remind me. 

In front of the truck was a sign that said RESERVED GEN. O'NEILL.

One of the privileges of rank. Read literally, the sign proclaimed Jack to be reserved. And I knew that had never been true.

I got my keys out and used my own to unlock the truck and climb into the passenger seat. I leaned over, stuck the key in the ignition, and started it up. I set the air conditioning on high, opened the windows to get some oxygen, and sat back to wait for Jack.

It was a hot June day. High summer at the foot of the Colorado Rockies was a glorious time of year. The sky was an azure blue, not a cloud in sight. The sun shined down with every intense ray it had to give at our mile high elevation. I always felt like our relatively short summer season was some kind of reward for having lived through another interminable frigid winter and spring.

We'd all have a long weekend if Friday ever arrived. The Fourth of July was on Friday that year, and everyone welcomed the idea of an extra day off. Jack and I had moved heaven and earth to also get the whole next week off. It was my birthday on the eighth. Jack had told me it wasn't every day someone turned 38, we had to do something special. Also our first anniversary as a couple was on July 11, so there would be double cause for celebration. 

"And don't ask me what," he'd told me. "It's a surprise, and I'm not tellin'. And no fair snooping and asking around and stuff. This will be top secret until it can't be anymore. You're just gonna have to suffer and wait and see."

I knew better than to argue or try to talk Jack out of it. Whatever his plans for us, I would go along quite happily. I'd never been spoiled as a child, and thought that I could get used to this King for a Day treatment I got from Jack every single day of the year. I fully expected Jack to pull out all the stops with whatever he had planned for my birthday.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw someone approaching the truck, and turned my head to look out the window. Finally, Jack had arrived. Looking totally edible, as usual. Wow, those hot aviator shades didn't exactly hurt the look. My flyboy General love machine.

I made sure Jack's door was unlocked, and then watched him climb up into the cab. It was already getting cool from the air conditioning, so as Jack settled in, he hit the electric switches to put the windows up, giving us a little more privacy. He slipped off his shades, and then his brown eyes met mine..

"Hey, Danny..."

I wanted to launch myself at Jack, straddle his lap and kiss the shit out of him, the reaction I always had when we'd been separated for even a few hours. But all of that was a no-no in public, around Colorado Springs anyway, so I contented myself with feasting on my own personal eye candy and smiling like a loon. General O'Neill really was totally, fuckably hot. And it was my own personal privilege to know that first hand.

We couldn't do anything physically, but we could still say any damn thing we wanted.

"Woof. Look at you. New shirt, General O'Neill? Can I take it off you now, or do I have to wait for later? Mmmm... Whatcha got under there anyway?" 

I let my eyes rove all over Jack's chest and flat belly, then down to his crotch and thighs. I licked my lips and sucked on them a little, still plastered way over against my own door, half serious and half teasing.

Finally I let my eyes come up to Jack's face. Oh-oh. Jack was horny. Way, way horny. What had started out as a tease was turning serious, and fast. I wondered if the lunch idea had just been a ruse to get me alone at one of our houses and indulge in a little afternoon delight. If so, this was definitely a first on a workday.

"So. Jack. What do you want first, dessert or lunch?" He smiled at me and cocked his head.

JACK

We couldn't touch each other in the parking lot or anywhere else on base, and as I sat with my back against the driver's side door of the truck, I watched Daniel look me up and down, licking his lips and mentally undressing me. Behind his glasses, the sky blue topaz eyes I loved so much had a devilish gleam in them.

Daniel had on his comfortable, soft, bleached blue jeans, riding low around his hips, worn with a woven brown leather belt. He'd pulled on a black polo shirt and had tucked it in at the waist. It clung to him like a glove, and I could see the hardening of Daniel's nipples through the thin fabric. The bulge in his jeans was looking suspiciously larger also. The pupils of his eyes were huge, more clear evidence of his own arousal. 

Finally he stopped talking. We just looked at each other. Decision time. 

I was licking at my own lips and letting my own eyes do a little undressing of their own. Daniel and I had been partners for a year, and I still never got enough of Daniel's body, never got enough of giving Daniel my own body. I had wondered if our ardor would cool in time, and we would gain a little more mature perspective on things, but so far, our relationship was still red hot.

Some mornings, I wondered how I had enough energy to shower, dress, and drive to work. I was worn out, but would never complain. Keeping up with a studly lover ten years my junior was very hard, but extremely rewarding work. Definitely a tough job if you could get it.

The sex wore me out, our love fueled the banks of fire in my soul, and the combination was something almost miraculous to experience. 

I groaned. I gave Daniel a pleading look. I thought about it, weighing my needs. I was starving, but I was also, you know, starving. I sighed. At times like this, I wished we'd found some kind of alien technology so that I could divide the two of us in half, send one half to the restaurant and the other half straight to bed, only to join up later and be totally satiated on both levels.

I grinned at him. "Okay... How about McDonald's drive through and the loft?"

He grinned right back. 

I guessed that was a big ten-four. With no further ado, I put on my seatbelt, stuck the truck in reverse, and got us the hell out of there. We had three hours, and I had every minute planned. A Big Mac and then Big Daniel, in that order.

Both of us knew that there wasn't as much time as we wanted or needed. The eating part of our afternoon date was the less important part. Big Macs and fries, Cokes and chocolate shakes were hastily shared inside the truck at the McDonald's that was two blocks away from Daniel's loft. I kept an eye on the truck's clock. I watched Daniel eat, and even fed him his fries a couple of times. 

When I caught Daniel tearing his fries up in little pieces to throw out his window to the tiny sparrows who were begging all around us outside the truck, I took the bag away from him and crumpled up the leftovers to throw away.

"That's it, Daniel. Time to hit the road. We had our lipids and sugar fix for the day, and now we need to go home and work off some of these calories!"

I threw open my door, jumped out to stuff our trash in one of the parking lot receptacles, and then climbed back in just as fast. Daniel was looking at me accusingly. 

"Jack! I coulda fed those fries to the birds!" 

I just looked at him, shaking my head slowly back and forth. Then I smiled in spite of myself. What a beautiful man Daniel was. And when he was pouting, I wanted to bite his lower lip that was sticking out at me. 

DANIEL

I saw him staring at my lower lip. I quickly drew it back in and tried to make my mouth into a straight line. And failed miserably. I reached over and playfully slugged Jack on the arm. With him smiling at me like that, I couldn't help smiling back. The big, tough General was in love with me. And the feeling was definitely mutual.

Without another word, Jack started the truck and drove the short distance to my loft. 

Arriving in the subterranean parking garage under my apartment building, we slid out, locked the truck, and proceeded wordlessly to the elevator. After a stop in the lobby to collect four days worth of mail out of my box, we rode up in the elevator to the top floor where my loft was located. 

Jack still had his keys in his hand, and used his to let us in. It was a little musty inside since we hadn't been there for most of the week. I touched the thermostat on the wall in the entranceway and heard the air conditioning kick in. Soon it would be cooler and fresher in here. Glancing around, I could see that my cleaning people had been in. Everything looked picked up, dusted, and vacuumed. I knew that meant there would be clean sheets on the bed.

Jack and I were still down by the front door. We dropped our keys and wallets, my mail and our cell phones on the hall table. Jack checked to make sure his cell was turned on. I checked to make sure that mine wasn't. I took off my glasses and placed them there with the rest. Finally our eyes met. 

And then I got my chance to pounce, which I took, gladly. 

"Jack!" I told him hoarsely. "Jack!" I pushed him against the wall and lifted my mouth to kiss him. He eagerly lowered his head down to meet me, and we reveled in the familiar taste and feeling of each other's lips and tongues. We took turns probing the inside of each other's mouths, happily sucking and biting, and whimpering into each other's throats.

"Damn it, Jack, I need you so bad--- God, how long has it been?"

I pushed away from him, tugging at his shirt to pull it over his head. His hands were doing the same to mine. Both shirts ended up on the floor. I took his dog tags and tore those off too, slinging them with a sharp crack against the door. I leaned into him again. His hands were everywhere on me, stroking my hair and my neck and my back. His chest, covered with curly gray hair, rubbed against mine. I sucked at his neck, licked his ear, and grasped his arms and shoulders in my eagerness to get closer, and just generally tried to crawl inside him. Something I hoped to do more of real soon. 

"Danny," I heard him murmur. "S'been only twelve hours or so... God, Danny..."

His erection was bulging against my own. I wondered if we should take each other right there. I lifted my head and looked at him questioningly. He swallowed, trying to find a coherent thought to go along with his voice.

"Bed?" was all he asked me. I nodded. I picked up his cell phone to take with us, sharing a knowing look with Jack. During a workday, we couldn't be completely in our own world. He had to be available if anyone called from the base. And we both knew no one would unless it was a real crisis.

I took his hand and led him up the stairs, through my living room and into the bedroom. It was cool in there. The shades at the windows were drawn. I closed the door behind us, making the room feel more private, more like an oasis just for two. Jack's dark eyes burned in the dim lighting. He never took his eyes away from mine. 

Our eyes still locked together, I put his phone on the bedside table. We slowly kicked off our shoes and then undid our belts and trousers. Underwear and socks soon followed. Still we didn't touch each other. We just took a few seconds to look, to fantasize, to remember, to anticipate, and to cherish. How was it possible to feel so many emotions, all wonderful, in such a short time? Jack held his hand out to me, and I took it. 

"Make love to me, Danny? I want you inside me. Love you so much." He reached for my arm with his other hand, and hung on to me. "Need you."

I kissed him with all the love I could show him and then drew him towards the bed. Up two steps, and he was drawing the comforter and top sheet down. He sat on the edge of the bed and watched while I got the lube out of the bedside table.

I came and stood between his thighs, and he rubbed his face into my chest, showering my skin with little bites and kisses. I kissed the top of his head and hugged him around the neck. His hands were on my cock, stroking me, making sure I was as ready as he could make me. 

JACK

"Please. Now, Daniel. Don't wanna wait." 

He took the lube and squirted some into my hand. I rubbed it on him, loving the slippery feel of him, knowing how wonderful he going to feel inside me as soon as I laid back. 

Quickly I slid backwards, my head on a pillow, watching him put a little lube on his right hand. I spread my legs wantonly for him, drawing up my knees, holding out my hand to him to urge him on. Eagerly, he slid on top of me and thrust his hand under my balls, searching for the opening there. He slid one finger in, cool and seeking. He kissed me again, inserting a second finger, and I groaned.

"No. You! I want you! All of you!" I growled at him. Fuck me, Danny. Dying here.

He didn't hesitate any more. Pushing his thighs under my ass, he helped me lift my legs up over his shoulders. Slowly, he pushed inside me. I moaned, and threw my head back with my eyes closed. So good, so good, so good, so good, oh, God.... Oh...

"Jack!" he gasped. Slowly, inch-by-inch, he filled me up. I pushed up to meet him, forcing him in deeper and deeper. Finally he was buried to the hilt, and he started to move in tiny in and out motions, letting me adjust to the fullness of him inside me. It hurt like hell, like always, and felt so exquisitely wonderful, all at the same time. I felt my mind try to grasp the reality of him, the reality of the way he was joined with me. Gradually the pain eased as the lube coated the inside of me, allowing him to move more freely, and my muscles relaxed a little.

He kissed me, pushing his tongue in my mouth, grinding his hips into me, making sure I was as ready as I could get. I urged him to hurry up, "Now, Daniel, do it, just do it!"

He took me fast and hard, knowing how we both liked it, hitting my prostate over and over, buried inside me as deeply as he could get. I cried out and bit my lip. He leaned forward and covered my mouth with his again. I bit his tongue and sucked his lips. I knew I wouldn't last much longer. 

I reached down to stroke my own cock, matching the rhythm Daniel was setting, both of us building to our own release. 

I could feel my orgasm building like some kind of tidal wave. Suddenly it was upon me, and I came, hard. All I knew was Daniel, possessing me, taking me, loving me.

Daniel was pounding me. I opened my eyes to watch his face. His head was thrown back, eyes tightly shut. He was panting. I reached up to touch the side of his head, enjoying his ardor and love. When he felt my touch, he opened his eyes and looked down at me. He gave me a little smile. I used a thumb to brush the sweat away from his temple, and he leaned his head into my hand, never missing a beat of the rhythm he had set up inside me. He gasped and closed his eyes again. I arched up to meet his thrusts.

"That's it," I told him. "Come on. Come for me. That's good, babe. That's it."

His eyes snapped open and he looked into my face. "I love you, Jack! Please. Ohhh..."

With a final thrust, he pushed his full length into me and allowed himself to come. I used my ass muscles to squeeze him, milking him, until he was spent. After a few seconds, he lowered himself to lie on top of me. He put his face down on my shoulder and tried to catch his breath. I lowered my legs and wrapped them around his and hugged him close, slowly rubbing his calves with my feet. I felt him slip out of me. We were sweaty and sticky. 

I kissed the side of his face. "That was good, huh?" 

He nodded into my neck. "Ummm..."

We hugged and breathed and allowed our heart rates to return to normal. I could feel the inside of my ass burn and tingle a little, remembering the huge fullness that had been there moments before.

Slowly Daniel rolled off me and lay on his side. I turned to face him. His beautiful eyes roved over my face. He traced my nose and eyes and mouth with one finger. 

"Hi," he whispered. 

"Hey yourself. Have I told you lately that you turn me on?" 

He smiled and nodded. "Oh, yeah, I got the message loud and clear, about one minute ago. Back at ya." 

I reached out and drew him over to my shoulder. I rubbed my cheek in his hair and kissed his temple. 

Slowly I felt him relax into me, and I knew he was dozing. That was okay; he'd earned a rest. I could see the clock at the bedside, and knew we could lie like this for a little while more. Daniel's breathing evened out and I could tell he was sound asleep. I tightened my arms around him, and he sighed and snuggled closer, his arm holding me close around the waist. 

DANIEL

Mmmm... so comfy in Jack's arms. I rubbed my nose into his shoulder and ran a hand over his soft chest hair. He covered my hand with his own. He kissed my forehead, and we gave each other a little squeeze. I knew I'd been sleeping. And knew just as surely that Jack had not. Watching our six, like always. One eye on the clock, making sure we were taken care of. 

"Time is it, Jack?" I asked him softly. I felt him raise his head and look at the clock. 

"1415. We have time for a shower before we have to get back."

"...'kay," I yawned at him. Neither of us moved. I kissed his neck and then laid my forehead against it. He tightened his arms around me and purred a little, deep in his throat. 

Finally I pulled back a little to look at his eyes. They were only half open. 

"Tonight, Jack, wanna get to bed early? I promise to try to stay on my side of the bed. Let's come back here. It's closer. Maybe I can get some things done around here that have been waiting. We'll have a quiet night and get you to bed as soon as it's dark outside. You need some sleep."

"But I promised you a steak. I thought maybe we could make it to O'Malley's tonight. SG-1 is coming in at 1600. I was gonna ask Teal'c and Sam to join us. Would you like that?"

That sounded wonderful, actually. The four of us hadn't been out together in weeks. Jack and I were very much on-world these days. He saw Sam and Teal'c more often than I did, since he was there for their embarkations and any scheduled homecomings, and debriefings. He always told me they asked for me, every time he saw them. We all missed each other, and it was a bittersweet feeling to know that they had carried on without us in the last few months.

"Do you promise to go to bed when we get home, and keep your hands off me, and really sleep?" I asked him with a smile, only half kidding.

"Yes, dear," Jack told me with a little sigh and a roll of his eyes. Yeah, he promised about that keeping his hands to himself bit, but I knew where such promises often ended up. Gone, forgotten, lost in the heat of several moments. Well, I'd just have to try to remember to throw a bucket of cold water on the both of us if it came to that. 

"Okay," I told him, sitting up and swinging my legs over the side of the bed. I turned back to him and reached for his hand. He looked so sleepy; my heart went out to him. I went around to his side of the bed and pulled the comforter and sheet up over his shoulders. He turned to look at me questioningly.

"Jack, I'll go take a quick shower. Close your eyes and rest while I'm gone. I'll be okay. This bed feels really comfortable, huh?" He nodded, buried his head into his pillow and I could see him already drifting away. 

I headed to the shower, as quietly as I could.

JACK

It was like old times. Every time our old team got together, it was like old home week. If Daniel was my immediate family, then Teal'c and Carter were my first cousins or something. There wasn't much I wouldn't do for any of them. I used to call Carter and Daniel "my kids" back when we were all traveling through the gate several times a week. Teal'c and I got to be the parents, I guess. Sam did her share of protecting all of us, but I guess because she was a gorgeous woman, I always had to try to remember just how tough she really was. She and Daniel were the eggheads, the brains, the idea people. Teal'c and I, well, let's just say, no one better mess with the kids, or there'd be hell to pay. And I still felt that way. Probably Teal'c did too.

The four of us were in a dimly lit corner of O'Malley's. We always talked about the old days in hushed voices, but our jokes and laughter were usually at full volume. On our own time, rank and position were meaningless among the four of us. We were just old friends who had lived to tell about it another day. You didn't go to hell and back with your friends, more than once, without there being a deep bond forged between you. 

The beer had flowed (Coors on tap, naturally-- Colorado's finest), while Teal'c stuck to his favorite Pepsi, and the steaks had been first rate. At the end of the meal, we all shared a huge serving of chocolate cake and ice cream, brought out to us on a plate with four spoons. At last, we sat back and really looked at each other.

"Danieljackson," Teal'c said to Daniel, "I have not seen you for many days. O'Neill says you have been well. Have you missed going on missions with us?" 

I looked at Daniel, curious about what he would say. We literally never talked about this. When I had decided to stay in, and accept command of the SGC with my promotion, we'd never had another thought about the decision we'd made back at Christmas, for Daniel to resign from SG-1 and live the boring life with me at home. He knew that it was absolutely not open to negotiation for me, I felt so strongly about any further risk to his valuable life.

He turned and met my eyes. I put out a hand under the tablecloth and squeezed his warm thigh. Quickly, he covered my hand with his own.

Still looking at me, he told Teal'c, "No, Teal'c. I've never had any regrets. It's what Jack wanted, and so it's what I want. And it's the only thing that makes sense." Finally he turned to meet Teal'c gaze.

"Sure, I miss the adrenalin rush, but God, how many times can one person get stuck in a sarcophagus, or recover in that damned infirmary? And anyway, I get to go out quite a bit, actually, and also I see all the reports and video records that come back from the first contact teams like you guys. It's almost like being there." He gave Teal'c and Sam a little smile. I patted his thigh again and withdrew my hand.

Carter looked at Daniel. I could see her mental wheels turning. Little Miss Matchmaker. "You guys still happy?"

Daniel and I shared a look again, and at exactly the same time we said, "Ohhh... yeah..." 

Sam gave us a big grin and exchanged a glance with Teal'c, whose eyes lit up and whose mouth had a tiny little smile at the corners. They both approved, and had from the very first day we'd told them, back on Christmas. They wished us well, and we trusted both of them to never listen to any gossip about us or betray any confidences. The four of us were still as tight as we'd ever been.

"Carter, the command going OK? You getting used to those silver clusters?" 

Carter had been promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in the same ceremony as mine, back in February, in the gate room, with President Bush and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld present. It had been a big ceremony. Daniel and General Hammond had pinned on my stars. Her Dad, Jacob/Selmac, and I had pinned on Carter's silver clusters. I had never been prouder of my kids, my country, my world or myself. 

"Nah," she told me. "How the hell did you keep us in line all those years? Teal'c's okay, he knows his place," this was said with a smile and a poke of the elbow at Teal'c who was sitting beside her. He gave her The Eyebrow.

"But Robertson, the new archaeologist, she's a pain and deliberately does her own thing and takes too many samples and asks too many questions--- sorry, Daniel, I know she's your department, and it'll be okay, I suppose, once she gets used to us. Lieutenant Forthman is a good guy. He is willing to do anything he's asked to do. But I think Teal'c scares him, and I know I do. You know, the whole SG- 1 legacy thing." She rolled her eyes and chuckled.

"So," I told her, "business as usual, huh?"

"Yeah, Sir, don't worry, if it's ever anything I can't handle, you'll be the first to know," she told me.

"And I have news," she told us all. We looked at her expectantly. She looked gorgeous that night, dressed in a simple black dress with sparkling earrings at her ears. Her wrist had about ten silver bracelets of different designs that clinked softly together when she moved her arm. Her hair was as blond as ever, eyes all aglow. It was obvious that life was agreeing with her.

"What, Lieutenantcolonelcarter?" Teal'c asked her. We all waited expectantly.

She just smiled, and then ducked her head. "I have a new boyfriend. And I think it might be serious." She blushed.

Daniel laughed right out loud. "Way to go, Sam!" he enthused at her. He and I were always happy when others found some love like we had. Teal'c and I just grinned at her.

She told us about the new guy who had been brought in to organize the Marine security on base. He was a Marine, but gee, not everyone could be perfect. And a Colonel. Her age, never been married, and she couldn't figure out how she'd gotten so lucky. I gave myself a little mental nudge to try to remember to check out his service record when I got back to the office. He and I had met, of course, but now that I knew Carter was involved, I'd be paying closer attention. Still protecting Carter. But damn, she did look happy. We all looked happy.

Finally, at about 2100 hours, we all went our separate ways, reminding each other that we'd be meeting at my house for our traditional barbeque on the Fourth. I asked Carter to bring her new man, too.

Daniel and I took our separate cars back to his loft. I was bone tired. But it had been a good day. We arrived in the garage at the same time, and went up in the elevator together. 

DANIEL

As we came in and switched on the lights, locking the door behind us, I noticed that Jack looked beat. It was getting late. When one's day starts at five or six, getting on towards ten is late. 

I reached out to him and hugged him around the neck. We stood like that for a few seconds, just listening to each other breathe. I was anxious to get Jack to lie down and go to sleep. I knew the kind of schedule and pressure he had been under recently, and we hadn't actually been using our bed for sleeping enough lately.

"Great day, Jack," I told him softly. He nodded into my shoulder, and squeezed me a little tighter in agreement. "Let's go and get changed for bed, okay?" Another nod, but his arms didn't loosen their hold on me, so I just waited and hugged him back. I massaged his back. It was so quiet, I could hear our breathing, and even, I thought, our beating hearts. "You okay?" Another nod. 

He didn't let go, so I closed my eyes and we simply stood there, and I thought to myself how I was hanging on to the center of my life. 

I found myself starting to hum a familiar tune that I knew Jack would recognize, since he was a big James Taylor fan from way back. Winter, spring, summer or fall, all you have to do is call, and I'll be there! You've got a friend. I didn't know what was bothering Jack, or even if anything was, but I was his friend. And he was mine.

"Daniel!" he said quietly to me, pulling back to look me in the face. He looked so expectant, so hopeful.

What?" 

"That songÑit said to call out your name if I needed you, so I did," he told me. I smiled and so did he. Without another word, we went in to get ready for bed. 

We started to strip and change, exchanging looks like we always did. I headed to the bathroom to wash up and get ready for bed, and when I was done, Jack went by me with just a glance and did the same. I put my glasses carefully on the table beside the bed, and then slipped into bed to wait for him. 

After a couple of minutes, I saw him appear in the darkened room and go around to his side of the bed. He lifted the sheets and slid in next to me. I held my arms out to him, forgetting my promise to 'stay on my own side of the bed'. He slid right into them, putting his head on my shoulder, and sighed.

"So nice, Danny..." 

It sure was. Neither of us moved for a minute or two, once we had our arms around each other. Jack burrowed his head in my neck and put a little kiss on my collarbone. I heard his breathing even out, and very soon he was asleep. I smiled to myself a little and pressed my lips to his hair. 

I loved nights like this, when all Jack really needed was to feel me next to him. I loved the red-hot nights, too, of course. But there was something about the easy contentment of the quiet, of the solid presence of him with me, bundled up together. In moments like that, I was reminded, way down deep, of what we had.

I had told myself that once he was asleep, I'd get up to do the few things I needed to get done, but in fact now I knew that I wasn't going to get up until I had to. All was well, and I was grateful for the peace of the moment and the chance just to be together for the next few hours of quiet. I pulled the bed covers around our shoulders even more firmly, closed my eyes, and with my cheek on the top of Jack's head, drifted off to sleep. 

JACK

The clock told me it was 0545. I reached over and shut off the alarm that would have gone off at 0615. No Daniel. I looked around the room, trying to remember what day it was, and wondering if maybe he'd had a really early appointment and had already left for the day. I could smell coffee, however, so I figured if he wasn't still around, he hadn't been gone long.

After using the bathroom and brushing my teeth, I followed the smell of Daniel's favorite Columbian blend out to the kitchen. He had left the coffee pot turned on, so it was still hot. I poured some into a mug, and stood in the kitchen for a couple of minutes with my back to the counter, trying to wake up a little. 

Still wondering if Daniel was around, I went out into the living room to see if his keys and wallet were gone. They were still there. That only left one place he could be, out on the deck. 

It was cooler early in the morning, and Daniel had left the doors to the deck open in the living room. Bringing my coffee with me, I went out to find him there. He was leaning over the railing, elbows supporting his weight, facing the new day, and overlooking the downtown area where his loft was located. He had a nice urban view, the kind of view where the lights at night always were interesting, and in the daytime you could watch the city come to life. His building was far enough from surrounding ones that I always felt we had at least a little privacy out there.

I set my cup down on the table, and quietly went up behind him. I slipped my right arm around his waist and leaned into him a little, letting my chin rest on his shoulder. He turned his face to me and gave me a little smile.

"G'morning..." 

He put his hand on mine at his waist and gave it a squeeze, and stood up straight to lean back against me.

"Hi. Thought maybe you'd already left. Boy, I just died last night. I never knew a thing until about five minutes ago. Been up long?"

He spoke leaning the side of his head against mine. "Oh, maybe an hour or so. You were really sleeping, so I left you alone. I did some laundry and sorted out my mail, and just decided to come out here and watch the sun. These summer days are great, huh?" He turned then to face me and put his hand on my face, giving me a sweet smile.

I took his hand and led him inside, closing the doors behind us. I reached up to slip his glasses off his face, and put them gently down on top of his piano. I took him in my arms and kissed him, nuzzling him, trying to see how far he wanted me to go. Knowing Daniel the way I did, I figured he was game for anything quick that wouldn't make us late for work. He whimpered in his throat a little as I used my tongue to explore his mouth, and I ran my hands up under his tee shirt. He slipped his hands under the waistband of my sweats and cupped my ass, pressing me closer. We were both definitely interested.

"Shower?" we said almost in unison. He grabbed his glasses, and we started tearing off our shirts as we walked.

We'd decided ages ago that mutual masturbation probably was a guy thing, and we loved it, especially when we didn't have much time and just needed the connection between us, needed the release. We stood under the warm water and scrubbed each other, using shampoo and soap and rinsing each other off, taking turns under the showerhead. 

We kissed, and sank our teeth gently into each other's shoulders and necks as our hands and fingers squeezed and tugged at each other's hard cocks. This was a fast one. A few gasps and moans, kissing and biting each other's lips, and almost simultaneously, we came hard into each other's hands. We stood for a minute with our arms around each other, loathe to let go. 

"Good mornin', Colorado Springs," I said into Daniel's shoulder. I heard him chuckle. 

"And happy Wednesday," he said, pulling back to look at me. He reached back to shut the water off and handed me a towel. 

As we dried off, I asked him, "Daniel, can we ride in together this morning? I wanna talk to you. Do you have time for breakfast?"

He ran a brush through his wet hair and put his glasses back on his face. "Sure, Jack, but what about tonight? I have a late appointment and can't leave until seven or so. Will that hold you up?" 

"No, that's fine," I told him. "I have a team coming in at 1800, as I remember, so just give me a call when you get done, and we'll hook up to get home. My place tonight?" 

He nodded at me, and we went to get dressed.

DANIEL

Jack had been pretty quiet while we ate our breakfast. He was a morning person, and I never was, but for some reason, he seemed subdued. A lot on his mind, I thought. I was pretty sure he wasn't upset with me for any reason, since he'd sure given me no indication of anything like that. So I let him be. He'd told me he wanted to talk to me, and I knew he would when he felt the time was right. I'd learned the hard way with Jack, there was never any forcing him to do anything he didn't want to do, especially talk about important stuff.

"Two more days, Daniel, and we'll have ten off," he said to me, putting his cereal bowl down on the kitchen table with a thunk. "I cannot tell you how I'm looking forward to this. And the Fourth, and your birthday, and our anniversary." He shook his head and gave me a rueful little smile. 

I could see his fatigue. Beyond the physical weariness was the old Jack impatience rearing its willful head. And now he had to get through the next two days so we could be together the way we always wanted. I felt all I could do was support him, listen to him, and love him.

I stood up, went over to him, and hugged him around the neck. "You okay? Is there anything I can do?" 

He leaned into my chest and let me hug him, "No, you're doing something just being here. There's nothing wrong. And, Daniel?" He looked up at me, holding onto my arm.

"Thanks for last night. The little song you sang at me. Letting me fall asleep on you. How come you always know what I need, and you always know the right thing to do for me? I can never feel like I'm half as good at that as you are."

"Jack, it isn't a contest! I love you. I dunno how I know what you need, sometimes I just do. And you know that sometimes I don't. As long as we say thanks when we get it right, and forgive each other when we get it wrong, everything will be okay. And you know if you ever need anything, all you have to do is ask." 

He nodded at me and yanked on my arm a little to get me to come down and kiss him, which I did gladly.

"How the hell did I ever start the day without you for so many years?" he asked me, shaking his head in wonder. "What would I do without you, without all this?"

"Let's never find out, Jack. Let's live at least until we're a hundred. Let's never take any day for granted."

"'kay, it's a deal," he told me. 

"We better rinse out these dishes and get a move on. We taking the truck this morning? Wanna take the Subaru? I'll let you drive..."

Jack just smiled. "Sure, I'll park it in my spot on base, so we can find the damn thing when we get out tonight."

He'd hated my Subaru, always told me he couldn't figure out why I'd bought the thing, until the day I let him drive it, forced him to drive it, as a matter of fact, mostly so he'd shut up about it. Then he'd grudgingly admitted that it handled like a dream, it was fun to drive, and had scads of power. It was a WRX Wagon, Subaru's top of the line, sporty car, with tons of room in the back to haul my stuff around when I went to antique shows or picked up loads of books. 

JACK

Okay, I had to admit Daniel's little black car was fun to drive. It could really move. I had to watch the speedometer. And I loved the five speeds. On the mountain road, going up, or coming down, it was a challenge to use the clutch just right, to use the gears to their best advantage. And secretly I loved its throaty little growl when I downshifted. Reminded me of its very attractive growly owner. I could make him growl, too. Downshifting or up shifting.

I couldn't help smiling on the way to work that morning. The sun was shining, we were on the verge of a great vacation, and Daniel was sitting next to me with the wind in his hair, his hand on my right thigh just as a point of contact. I knew he'd be careful to put it back in his own lap when we arrived at the base. 

As we pulled up to the guard post at the base entrance, we both held up our ID's, although the Marine on duty, Corporal Evans, knew both of us on sight. He saluted me, and I saluted back.

"G'morning, General... Dr. Jackson," he said. We both chorused our good mornings back at him, and I continued the drive in. 

"Daniel," I said, "I wish we could play hooky today. Did ya ever do that when you were in school? I did. In June, when we never did anything in school anyway, and we had a day like this, my friends and I used to take off and then write our own excuse notes the next day, to get back in school. Did you ever do that?"

"No, I never did. I was too busy studying and being so serious. It would be great to play hooky with you, Jack. Do you suppose we're too old for that stuff now? God, I hope not."

"Well, I know I am, maybe you're not, "I told him with a smile.

I pulled into my reserved spot and shut the car off. We took our seat belts off. From here, we'd go down into the mountain alone, making our separate ways to our offices, to get changed and get the day started. It was always hard to say good-bye to Daniel in the morning, knowing I wouldn't see him for ten hours or so. It was good for us to be separated, since we couldn't realistically expect to be joined at the hip, but I always felt a pang when we actually had to say good-bye. I felt like that was silly, but I couldn't help it.

I took my sunglasses off and turned to him with a sigh.

"Miss you already," I told him. I touched him momentarily on his thigh, letting myself rub a little circle there for a second, and then carefully took my hand back.

"I know, Jack. Me, too. Will you call me later? I'll get rid of whoever is with me if you want to have phone sex."

I put on a phony shocked face and clucked my tongue at him. "Why, Dr. Jackson!" That made him laugh. 

DANIEL

Jack had said he wanted to talk to me on the way to work in the car. No talking was forthcoming. I sighed to myself a little. I always knew better than to push. When he felt like getting it off his chest, whatever it was, I'd hear plenty. Until then, I just had to be patient.

He opened his door and started to get out. He thought better of it, closed the door, and turned around to look at me again.

"I love you, Daniel," he told me. "I never get sick of telling you that. I wish I could wear a shirt with I'M IN LOVE WITH JACKSON written on it. But I can't. Wish I could. I wish everyone could know about us. I'm sorry. Someday, I'll make it up to you. Do you believe that? That I will make it all right someday? That the whole fuckin' world will know that you and I are in love? I know it's what you've wanted right along. I'm so sorry," he repeated.

The frown line in his forehead deepened. Where do you suppose that came from, I thought to myself. I put my hand out and touched his chest. I just looked at him questioningly. 

"You really do need a vacation, Jack! Of course I know you love me. Look how you take care of me. Look how you spend every waking and sleeping minute you can with me. Look how you make love to me. 

"And I don't care about someday. I just care about now. As long as we're together, everything is all right. I'm not lacking anything that I need." 

I hesitated for a minute and searched his face for any clue to what was going on with him. It wasn't like him to be so introspective, much less to actually say anything about it. "Please don't be sorry. Whatever is just is. And I would never go back to being just friends, lose this thing we have going. You know that." 

He held his hand up and looked at his ring. My ring. It sparkled in the morning sunshine, like a little beacon to whoever would see it. He looked at me and swallowed. Nodded finally. "I know, I must be getting sappy in my old age or something. I know I sound like something's wrong, but it's not. I am very happy. We better get going, it's getting late." He made a little face and shrugged. 

With a final look at each other, we got out of the car and went separately into the mountain to start our day. 

I thought about Jack and me as I walked, showing my ID where I needed to, passing through the various familiar checkpoints and security, using my pass key to get into the elevators that would take me far below ground, away from the brilliant day up on the surface. 

Slowly, as I neared my office, receiving morning greetings from my staff, my mind reached out to my day, to the things I would have to accomplish, to the appointments I had coming up. Jack would come back to my mind at various points during the day. He always did. And until I saw him again, I just had to concentrate on my work. With a sigh, I went into the locker room to change, my mind already on the workday ahead.

JACK

"Morning, Clark," I greeted my assistant as I came into our office suite. She almost always beat me in. She smiled and stood up. 

"Morning, General. Great day out there today, huh?" She came around her desk, a load of folders and papers in her arms. I knew it wouldn't be long until we were knee deep in the routine of our existence. 

"It sure is. Just gimme a minute to change, will ya? I'll be right with ya," I told her. I went into my office and closed the door.

As I changed into my uniform, making sure I was put together before I made an appearance, I looked at myself in the mirror. I looked tired even to myself. What the hell? And why had I been getting so sappy with Daniel earlier?

"Get a grip, O'Neill," I told my reflection. 

With a sigh, I turned back to start the day. I was feeling so strange, I wondered if I were coming down with something. I rubbed at my chest and took a deep breath. Nah, just tired. 

I went out to talk to Clark and make my usual morning rounds, to check in with the control room and see what had happened while I'd been gone. 

"I'm going down to see Davis in the control room, and then I'll do my walk around. Back in an hour or so. Got anything here that can't wait for a bit?" I asked her. 

"No, General, it's fairly quiet. When you get back, I have some things to go over with you, some quarterly reports and the appropriations paperwork for the Senate committee is due soon. Oh, and Doctor Jackson's department sent those reports over that you were looking for. That all looks like it's in order." 

Go, Daniel. Of course they were in order. I nodded to her and walked to the briefing room and down the stairs for the morning report from the control room. I felt a twinge in my chest, like someone was flicking the inside of me with a finger. It felt weird. I found myself rubbing my chest again as I walked. 

The whole time I was talking with the control room staff, I was aware of my heart's beat. It felt strange to be aware of it. Nothing hurt, but it was almost scary to feel the beating. Sometimes it felt kind of slow, and sometimes speeded up. I ignored it, taking deep breaths occasionally. Too much caffeine? Not enough sleep? I had to drag my mind back to what Davis and the others were telling me. They didn't seem to notice that I was preoccupied. 

A quiet night, that's what they were telling me. SG-4 and 13 were due back at 1400 and 1800. Debriefing for SG-4 at 1600, and SG-13's would be tomorrow morning. I told my staff I'd be back for their arrivals, and left things in the control room in their capable hands. 

I started my morning rounds, checking in with various departments, generally poking my nose into different places, something I liked to do just to keep my finger on the pulse of things. I found myself a few minutes later outside Daniel's office. I actually hadn't been by his office all week. I trusted him to let me know if there were any problems in his department, and didn't really want to get in his hair, so oftentimes I skipped his area. Maybe that wasn't smart, but it worked for us. And on that morning, I felt drawn to him, even more than usual.

DANIEL

Sitting at my computer with my back to the door of my lab, I never heard Jack arrive. I wasn't sure how long he'd been standing there. When I heard his, "Hey!" I turned around to see him standing in the doorway, hands deep in his pockets. He was leaning against the doorway a little. I smiled at him and got up to go greet him.

"Why, General O'Neill, as I live and breathe! Haven't seen you up here all week. Everything okay?"

He smiled at me, and we just stood and looked at each other. He was so pale under his tanned skin, and the lines of fatigue around his eyes and mouth were standing out of his face. His eyes looked as alive as they always did, so warm. But suddenly he looked every year of his almost fifty.

I thought to myself that no, everything isn't okay. What was going on with Jack? I came over to him and grabbed his wrist.

"Wanna sit down for a minute? Are you all right?" I know he could see my concern. He shook off my hand gently and clucked his tongue at me.

"Daniel, I'm okay. Feeling tired is all. I just thought I'd come around and see how things are going up here in archaeology land. Clark said she got your quarterly reports. Thanks for getting them down to us."

I didn't answer him. What the hell? He's not telling me everything; I can see it on his face...

"Blue, Daniel. Good color," he told me with a goofy grin. And suddenly, he turned and walked away up the corridor. 

Yeah, Jack, I have on the blues today. You told me they were my color. I remembered.

I shook my head and went back to my computer. Something was up with Jack, and I didn't have a good feeling about it. But like always, I couldn't force him into anything. I wondered if maybe I should have tried harder.

Later, I would always remember the phone call. We'd been swamped all day, and I was busy every minute. I barely had a half hour for lunch in the commissary, and the phone had rung off the hook all day. I had some difficult translations I was working on for one of SG-9's projects, and a couple of appointments with newly hired archaeologists who had just come on board. Knowing we'd be on vacation the next week, I was really hustling to get everything done so I could get away.

So when the phone rang about 3PM, I just picked it up like I had all the other times. "Daniel Jackson."

"Daniel, it's Sam," I heard her tell me. She sounded out of breath.

"Hey, Sam, that was fun last night. Can't wait to see you on Friday. Are you bringing the new guy for us to meet?"

"Daniel!"

I stopped talking. She had my attention.

"Daniel, it's Jack. I'm sorry, honey... he's... he's sick..."

I felt my mouth go dry, just like it does in all those romance novels. That really happens, the dry mouth thing. Weird. I literally had no spit in my mouth. What was Sam trying to tell me?

She noticed I wasn't speaking. "Daniel? Daniel? Are you there?"

I managed a croak. Had to sit down. "What, Sam... what happened?"

"Daniel, I'm coming down there to meet you. We'll go together. He's at the Academy Hospital. He collapsed in the control room, waiting for SG-4 to come in. They took him to the infirmary, but Janet ordered an ambulance. She was worried it was a heart attack. I talked to him, though, and he seemed okay. I don't think he was in pain. Just worried about you.

"I'm sorry, Daniel. I don't know anything more. Get changed, I'll meet you in the locker room." She hung up with a click, and I knew that soon she'd be running through the facility towards me.

I sat for just a moment or two, thinking of Jack's pale face a few hours before, knowing that I had been able to tell something was wrong. Why hadn't I insisted on him telling me? I got to my feet and quickly went to tell my assistant that I had to leave.

I wondered why Janet hadn't called me. And what was going on with Jack? I was scared, and I didn't like that feeling one bit.

JACK

"Oh, for cryin' out loud, Doc," I said to Fraiser. "An ambulance? I just passed out for a couple of minutes. Had too much coffee or something. Gimme a break."

"General, people do not faint because they had too much coffee. Your heartbeat is irregular, and I don't have the facilities here to carefully monitor you or do the testing you need. And you can't go by car. You need an EMT to be with you for the ride to the hospital." 

She saw me open my mouth to start arguing the point again. She held up one finger at me and shook her head with a frown.

"Nope! Nope! Don't argue. I want to be careful and keep you safe. It may be nothing, but I'm not taking any chances with you." 

She turned her back on me, ignoring my impatient looks and huffy attitude. Fraiser was good at ignoring me when she needed to. She'd had lots and lots of practice.

"Are you in pain, Sir?" one of the nurses asked me. This was only about the tenth time they'd asked me that. I just glared at her and shook my head. I needed to call Daniel. I didn't want him hearing about this from anyone else.

Just then Carter walked in. News travels fast. I'm sure when I collapsed in the control room, the news spread like wildfire all over the SGC. I had to call Daniel.

Fraiser started in with her, too. "Sam, talk some sense into the man, will ya? He wants to get up and leave. He's going in that ambulance in about five minutes if I have to hogtie him."

Carter came over by my bed and put her hand on my arm. I had all kinds of wires coming out of leads on my chest, and all of Fraiser's machines were humming and beeping. I was so not liking any of this.

"Colonel, you gotta relax. Be good, will ya? Janet's only got your best interests in mind. And if it's nothing, you can go home later."

I looked into her eyes. So blue, like Daniel's. She was my friend. We might have been more than friends if life had thrown us together differently. Probably better than anyone else, she knew how much I loved Daniel and wanted to protect him.

I lowered my voice and urged her, "It's Daniel, Carter. I don't want him to hear about this through the grapevine. I want to call him."

Just then the guys from the ambulance arrived to put me on their stretcher and carry me out of there. Janet had on her no-nonsense- now face. All she needed was a big syringe in her hand to make the picture complete.

"Carter!" I said. "Please!"

"Don't worry, Sir. I'll take care of it. We'll meet you at the hospital. Now don't worry!" she told me again. I nodded at her in thanks. They were already starting to load me on their stretcher.

What a mess. I was busy. I had things to do. This was such a pain. I hated being sick. And Daniel! For cryin' out loud anyway...

DANIEL

They finally let me in to see Jack. I'd only had to wait maybe ten minutes while the cardiologist got through with his exam, but it seemed like an hour. I paced the emergency waiting room like a crazy person. Sam's eyes never left me. She and I had rushed over in separate cars. If Jack was going to be in the hospital, that made Sam in command of the SGC, so I knew she'd have to get back there sooner rather than later. And I, for one, wasn't going anywhere without Jack.

"Doctor Jackson, you can go in to see the General now," I was told by the nurse whom I'd spoken to earlier. I had explained that I was Jack's legal next of kin, and I had absolutely insisted on seeing him and talking to his doctors.

I looked at Sam and she gave me a little wave. "Go ahead, Daniel. I'll see him later," she told me. I grabbed her hand and gave it a little squeeze as thanks for being such a good friend to both of us, and rushed off to see Jack, my own heart not feeling too regular itself.

His bed was half inclined, and he was covered up with a sheet pulled up to his chest. He had one arm flung over his eyes like maybe the light was bothering him. I hated that he'd been in there alone and had to endure the ambulance ride alone. I came and stood by his bed, trying not to take in all the monitors beeping and the wires leading away from him into the various machines, the IV line running into the back of one of his hands.

"Oh, Jack," I whispered to him. I wanted to climb on top of him, warm him up, kiss the life back into him. I could do none of that. I did take his hand though. It felt cold.

Suddenly his eyes were on me. He smiled, but I could see his face crumple up a little too. The tears were very close to the surface. Jack was scared. So was I.

"Daniel. Thank God you're here. Did Carter...?"

"Yes, I heard the news from her. We came over together. She's just outside, wants to see you as soon as she can. God, Jack, what happened? What's going on?" I knew I shouldn't be holding his hand, but I couldn't let go of him just yet. He acted like he felt the same way.

"I don't know. I just fainted. Doc said she wanted to be real sure my heart is okay. I felt a little funny earlier. I don't know what's going on," he repeated. 

I wanted to holler at Jack about not telling me earlier that he hadn't felt well. I wanted to shake him. But of course I did none of that. Poor Jack, he didn't need me on his case. I just needed to be there for him. I knew I could do that, if nothing else. I wasn't going anywhere. 

"It's okay, Jack. Try not to worry. I'll talk to your doctors as soon as I can. I'm sure they'll tell us what they think is going on as soon as they know anything." I gave his hand a last squeeze and then wrapped my arms around myself, leaning against Jack's bed. If I couldn't touch him, I felt a little comforted at least being in contact with his bed. 

"Can I have Sam come in? She just wants to say hi. I know she needs to get back to the base, to keep on top of things for you."

Jack just nodded, so I went and got Sam. 

Jack ended up having to stay in the hospital overnight for observation. His heart rate and blood pressure were constantly monitored. They poked him with needles and took pictures of the inside of his heart with a machine that looked like some alien piece of technology brought back through the gate. His cardiologist promised that in the morning they would know more. He had leads running to some kind of monitoring device that kept a constant record of his heart activity.

Meanwhile, Jack was lightly sedated, fed some dinner and ordered to stay in bed and rest. 

I never left his side, hovering nearby even during the machine tests, watching over him while the med techs drew his blood, lurking around even while he ate dinner. The nurses had sent down for a meal for me, too. Jack and I made some hospital food jokes, but all in all it was a pretty cheerless dinner. 

Later, the sedation helped him rest. He seemed calmer and more able to accept what was happening. 

Along around eleven, I fell asleep in the recliner that had been brought in for me next to Jack's bed. It was so quiet in the hospital at that hour, after regular visiting hours; it was soothing, even to me. Some of the fear that each of us had experienced faded somewhat. I didn't know what the morning would bring, but I hoped that at least together Jack and I could face whatever we had to.

JACK

That twenty-four hours I spent under observation in the cardiac care unit was the scariest, most boring, and frustrating day of my life. Daniel never left, hardly ate. If I didn't get out of there soon, I was afraid I'd be the one going home, and he'd end up in the bed.

I had awakened at 0200 hours. The room was dimly lit. For a second, I couldn't remember where I was, and then of course the memories came flooding back. What an awful place. I couldn't wait to get out of there. 

Daniel was asleep in the chair next to my bed. Tousle haired, his face with a reddish stubble of beard, he looked so beautiful to me, my heart was full. I was worried about him, but glad he had stayed. 

He moved in his sleep a little, as I continued to watch him. Wake up, Danny. I want to see your eyes on me. 

After a while, I dozed off again. The next time I woke, Daniel was standing beside my bed, just keeping vigil.

"Danny." I reached for him. He took off his glasses and dropped them on the bed beside me. Without a word, his arms went around me, and we hugged as tightly as we could. I kissed his face and whispered my love to him. He rocked me back and forth a little in a comforting way. I heard him sniff. 

"Ssshhh... it's okay... everything's gonna be all right," I said to him quietly. He nodded against my neck, his forehead pressed into the hollow under my chin. We stayed there with our arms around each other for quite a while. Finally, he pushed back a little to look into my eyes.

"I hope I can take you home today," he whispered. "I don't like any of this. I just want to go home, Jack."

"I know. Me too. Daniel..."I held his hand and looked at him earnestly. "Please go home and sleep. Get something to eat. I'm worried about you." 

He was already vigorously shaking his head. I knew this was going to be a hard sell. 

"Listen to me," I urged him. "I don't want you getting sick, too. Look, it's 0400. You can get home, sleep for a while, shower and stuff, and still be back here by 0900. Doctor Griffin said he wouldn't be back to see me until late morning, after he had all the results of the tests and could tell us something. You won't miss anything. I'll just be sleeping anyway. Please, babe, do this for me." I looked into his eyes, my hand on his cheek.

I hated to lay on the guilt like that, but also knew that Daniel wouldn't do what I was asking if I didn't. He could be way more stubborn than me when he wanted. And that was saying something.

"No, Jack. I can't. I won't. I couldn't sleep at home. Please don't ask me to do this." He looked down at me, his lips compressed into a tight line. I knew then that I'd never budge him.

In the end, he stayed. Eventually he got a toothbrush and towels and soap from the nurses on duty, used my bathroom to shower, put his same clothes back on, and came and fell asleep in the chair again. I dozed off and on, as did he, and very slowly, the time passed. More blood taken (how much did a person have, anyway?), another boring hospital meal, and eventually the morning progressed as the nurses came and went, recording my vitals and checking up on me. 

DANIEL

No way was I going home without Jack. And forget that guilt trip thing he tried to do. That wasn't working this time. I felt a little more human after the shower, anyway. And together, we could do this thing. No way was I leaving Jack alone. 

At 8AM, I called my administrative assistant, Airman Beverly Hobbs, and explained to her that I had a family emergency, and that I wouldn't be in. I felt for the woman. I'd had a hell of a schedule planned for that last day before my vacation, and somehow she was going to have to reschedule all of it. But I trusted everything into her capable hands. She had my cell number, could reach me if she needed to. I wished her a happy Fourth and told her I'd see her in a couple of weeks. With that call, our vacation time officially started. Now I could concentrate all my attention on Jack, on us.

Finally about ten Janet came in. It was so good to see a familiar face. I got up to hug her, searching her face for any trace of anxiety. She looked pretty calm, although it could be hard to tell with Janet sometimes. 

Jack smiled at her. "Doc! Get me outta this place! I feel great. Look at Daniel; he wants to chauffeur me home. Please!" 

"Okay, guys, here's the deal," she said to us with a smile. "Doctor Griffin said he'd be right in. He's right behind me. Yeah, I think he's going to say you can go home today."

Whoosh. I felt the air go out of my lungs. Had I been holding my breath since yesterday? It felt that way. Thank you, Janet.

"Sir, I apologize for maybe scaring you yesterday. At your age..." she saw Jack's warning look, then continued. "Yes! At your age, General, we docs have to be really careful when someone passes out. But we took a look at your EKG tracings, your blood pressure, the ultrasound and heart imaging we did yesterday, your blood test results, and the whole thing together gives us a picture of someone who is basically quite a healthy person. Your arteries look good, the blood tests were normal, and we saw no surprises there. So when Colonel Griffin comes in, he'll give you some recommendations about taking care of yourself, and I want you to listen to him."

She looked over at me, and then back at Jack. "Both of you need to listen to him. I don't know if he knows for sure that you're a couple. Confide in him if you want, if that would make it easier for you. As your doctor, Sir, he is allowed to ask, although he's not allowed to put anything you confide in him into your official medical record, since that would be the equivalent of telling."

Jack and I exchanged a glance. "Up to you, Jack. You know me, I'd like to take an ad out in the Denver Post." That made him smile.

"We'll see, Doc. What the hell is he going to tell us?"

"Stress, Sir. And I agree with his diagnosis. Stress, pure and simple. Except with stress, it's never simple." She let that sink into our tired brains for a second. "I can only guess what's been going on with you since you took over the SGC. And they took your guns away, so now you can't shoot anybody. Frustrating, huh?"

That made both Jack and I laugh right out loud. Oh, yeah...

"See?" she said to both of us with a gentle smile. "That's what you both need more of. A good laugh. This has been your first year together. You are both so serious about your relationship, and that's a healthy thing. But I also think that both of you spent way too many years being terrified of losing your own lives, and of losing each other. That kind of stress isn't something you just put on a shelf and forget about. You both have some work to do, as a couple and you, Sir, as an individual. I think Griffin may suggest counseling." She held up a warning hand as Jack started to get up on his high horse again. 

"Just promise me that you'll listen, and take what he says seriously. You are both too valuable to us at the SGC to take any of this lightly. And you're way too valuable to each other. You had a little warning yesterday. And you'd be smart to listen."

JACK

"Ohhh, Daniel. Yeah, just like that. Wow, where in hell did you learn how to do that?" 

We were naked in the middle of our bed at my house, a great ending to a not so great day. Finally out of that hospital, showered, fed and right where I wanted to be. It was only 0700, but neither Daniel nor I could wait to just get into bed and enjoy whatever the evening brought our way. So far, this massage was like a highway to heaven.

He used the massage oil we'd bought ourselves. It was scented with sandalwood and musk. Daniel said the smell of it reminded him of Egyptian nights. I had never smelled an Egyptian night, but it worked for me. It smelled clean and sexy. 

Working his hands into the stiff muscles of my shoulders and back, then my arms and along my legs, he'd done my buttocks and spine last. Wow, I thought to myself, I could go for this every night. Yup, no more stress for me.

"Ssshhh, Jack... just let me do this. Your muscles are so tight. And you feel so damned good." I could hear the smile in his voice.

Every once in a while, he trailed soft kisses along behind his hands, taking time out to rub his face in my hair and lick my ears. I knew when he turned me over, he wouldn't be surprised to see the effect he was having on me. I decided that this recovery stuff might be a lot of fun.

Finally he urged me to turn onto my back. Holding himself up on his hands, he loomed over me. There was fire in his eyes. I reached up for him and pulled him down into a deep kiss. He finally lowered his full weight on me, and I wrapped my legs around him. Our cocks were hard and insistent as they rubbed together. 

Daniel laughed deep in his throat. I grabbed onto him and flipped us over. I kissed him, thoroughly. With another laugh, he rolled us back so that he was on top again. 

He pulled back to look into my face, suddenly serious again. "Glad you're home, Jack," he murmured. I pulled his head down for another kiss. Both of us whimpered and groaned softly deep in our throats. 

Daniel's weight on top of me felt like a warm blanket. I wrapped my arms around him and pinned him to me, trailing kisses down his sweet neck, mouthing his ear and biting at his skin gently. 

He pulled his head back to look at me again, and I could see his beautiful eyes, the color of the summer sky, looking into mine, full of love and desire for me. Quickly I flipped him over again. We stared into each other's faces for a moment. I lowered my head to run my lips over his mouth and cheeks, watching his eyes close.

I kissed him over and over again, delaying the inevitable as long as I dared. I pushed myself up on my hands and started kissing down his chest, licking his nipples, pleased at how he arched his back and threw his head back into his pillow. His hands were in my hair, urging me on. His cock was engorged. I could feel it against my chest, feel its wetness in his excitement. 

Finally I lay down between his open legs, slipping my hands and forearms under his ass, and slowly swallowed him. He cried out as my tongue and mouth sucked at him. He was deep in my throat, and as I moved my head up and down, he matched my rhythm with his hips. 

He had thrown his hands back behind his head, flat against the headboard. As I looked up at him, I could see his expression of deep pleasure. Danny loved this probably better than anything. He thrashed around, even as he was impaled in my mouth. I could feel him harden and increase in size even more, and knew he was not far from the point of no return. I probed his ass with a finger, seeking his prostate and massaging it.

He came with a shout of delight, and I swallowed every drop. He laughed a little, deep in his throat. Looking up at him, I could see his little smile. He looked down into my eyes, and the smile widened. 

I moved up on top of him again and we put our arms around each other. "Good, Danny?" I whispered. He nodded. My put my face in his neck, inhaling his scent, nuzzling him with my nose. After a couple of minutes, Daniel began to move under me, his hands roving along my back and shoulders. We kissed again, and I knew we were both ready to continue.

I rose up to my knees, positioned myself between his thighs. I pushed a pillow under his hips and applied some of the massage oil to my cock, and then used my hand to probe his ass. He was relaxed, watching me with half closed eyes. He moaned as I slipped my fingers inside him. He pushed himself down onto my hand.

He looked up into my face. "Now?"

That one word was like a blast furnace to my groin. I quickly moved into position and lifted one of his legs up over my shoulder. I found the opening my cock was seeking, and started to push inside him. He thrust up against me, anxious to have all of me inside him. He cried out, squeezing his ass muscles around me so that I saw stars. He was hot and tight, as always, giving as good as he got.

"Wait, Danny," I told him softly. "I don't want to hurt you." His head was rolling back and forth on his pillow, his eyes tightly closed, and he was biting his lower lip.

"Don't stop," he rasped. "Fuck me. Need you. Do it, Jack. Do it."

I thrust into him then, deep and hard, loving the sensation of him. On nights like this, I felt like I could conquer the world. Daniel was all I needed, then or ever. I was drunk on him, taking Daniel along even as I was being taken. 

"Harder, Jack!" he urged me hoarsely. "Give it to me, damn it. Do it!" 

He was moaning and crying out. As I stroked his prostate, his cock was hard again, and I knew that along with the pain came an exquisite pleasure. I stroked into him to the hilt, pounding us together over and over, sweating with the exertion. 

DANIEL

This was as rough as he could make it for me, and it felt so good, I was practically fainting. His thrusts pushed my head against the headboard. I used one hand to brace myself over my head and my other hand pumped my own cock, which had gotten rock hard again. I didn't know how long Jack could keep this up, and I didn't care. 

Jack had his eyes closed, sweat dripping down his face. Finally he pushed inside me all the way, and I could feel his cock pulse inside me as he shot his come as deeply as he could. He gasped with the effort, biting his lower lip, reveling in the wonderful feeling between us. A few seconds later, I came again too, between our bellies, the rhythmic contractions squeezing Jack inside of me.

"Ahh, Daniel," he moaned. "So good."

Slowly he slipped out of me. He lowered himself to lie on me. I nuzzled his hair and hugged him tight. Gradually his breathing returned to normal. He sighed in contentment.

"Thank you," I whispered to him. 

He nodded into my shoulder. "Oh. I should be thanking you. You make me feel like a king. Like a teen-aged king!" He chuckled softly.

"Jack, it doesn't get any better than this. It just doesn't."

He rolled off me and over onto his side. I turned to face him. He touched my face. He and I, we had a good thing going. And I felt like the luckiest SOB in the world. His sleepy brown eyes were full of contentment. I was so glad I could do that for him.

"Love you," I told him, hanging on to his upper arm and running my hand up and down. He nodded, a little smile playing over his lips.

"Me, too," he said softly. "Me too." He paused and the smile disappeared. "But I hurt you, didn't I?" 

His eyes were on me. I couldn't lie. I would never lie to him on purpose anyway. I just looked back at him and didn't answer. What did it matter? It was all worth it, it always was. "I'm so sorry," he whispered.

I smiled sleepily at him, "Ssshhh, you know it hurts sometimes, but I asked for what I wanted, and you gave it to me, like you always do. And that makes everything all right. I'll be okay in a day or two. Don't worry."

Jack kissed me gently, showering small kisses beside my mouth and on my cheeks. "Okay, I'm not sorry. You make me crazy, you always have, you know that."

"Well, we're both crazy, then. And I know I'm crazy about you," I told him softly.

He snorted a little at me, grabbed my face between his hands. "C'mere, you, and kiss me again!" I was happy to oblige. Neither one of us wanted our lovemaking to end. We were both exhausted but so glad to be home and together again, it felt good to linger. Finally, after a few more minutes, I knew it was time to let Jack get some sleep. I went to get up.

"No, Daniel. Stay," he protested in a sleepy voice.

"I'll be right back," I murmured, kissing his temple. "We need to get you to sleep."

I got up and went to the bathroom. I came back with a warm soapy washcloth and towel, and proceeded to wipe us down. As I cleaned Jack up, he looked like the cat after the canary had disappeared from its cage. I dried him off, and then pulled the duvet up to his shoulders. He turned onto his side, and I leaned over him and kissed his hair. 

"Good, Jack?" I whispered into his ear. He just purred in his throat and nodded a little. "I'll be back in a little while. You sleep."

I quickly pulled on my sweats and socks, and went out to the kitchen to make myself some coffee. I gingerly sat down at the kitchen table and glanced through the mail that was sitting there, unread. I sighed to myself. Jack was right. He had hurt me. I knew it was going to be uncomfortable to sit on anything hard for a day or so. I sighed to myself. What did it matter? I would do anything to be with Jack like we had been for the last couple of hours. Anything. And I knew he felt the same way. 

Once the coffee was ready, I took my mug into the living room and opened up my laptop. I was grateful for the soft couch to sit on. Much better than that kitchen chair. I decided to send Sam an email.

Hey Sam, I wrote, Just a note to let you know that Jack is doing OK. We got home about two, I guess. He's bruised up where they shoved all those needles in him, but otherwise OK. You know how Jack loves needles. NOT. They said he collapsed because of stress. You know how Jack likes to talk about that stuff. NOT. What are we going to do with him? That's all right, I don't know either. Janet and Doc Griffin says we both need counseling. We have like PTSD from all of those fucked up missions. I guess that shouldn't surprise any of us, huh? And now Jack doesn't get to shoot anybody with his P90, and he has to be all diplomatic and stuff. I knew that was hard for him, but what's this he's doing, taking it out on himself? Maybe we can learn to open up a little more. Oh, well. Vacation next week, and he and I are both way psyched. Meanwhile, we'll see you tomorrow for the BBQ, huh? Come about one or so. Are you bringing Brian? We both want to meet him. Well, Jack has met him, but I haven't. I hope Jack makes nice and doesn't give him the 3rd! LOL Thanks, Sam, for telling me about J. yesterday, not letting me hear it out in the corridor or something. He was right, I woulda freaked. And then for staying with me in the ER. Bad scene. You are a real friend. Happy 4th, Daniel

JACK

We sat on our blanket, under a huge tree. We were at the Colorado Springs High School athletic fields to watch the city fireworks display, and had decided to sit way over to one side. Carter and her guy Brian were over under a tree next to us, and she was lying back on him. 

It was almost totally dark under there. Daniel was sitting beside me on the grass. We chatted quietly, and watched the people filing by, looking for their own places to watch the show. I enjoyed people watching, and this was a good opportunity for that, even in the darkness. Everyone I could see was oblivious to the danger of the Goa'uld, and I hoped they could stay like that forever. *Damned snakeheads... you can't have us... not this one here with me, and not me, and not any of these here.* I forced myself to stop thinking about them, and let myself just enjoy being there.

No one had asked, and no one had told that day, but Brian seemed very accepting of Daniel and me. I had tried not to grill him about his "intentions" towards Carter, like some kind of over protective father. Brian had liked Daniel, because who didn't? Daniel, I thought, could win over anyone. Our barbeque had been a great success. Teal'c had joined us, Janet and Cassie, George and his granddaughters had come by, and our neighbors Barry and Sue had come by with their boys, Timothy and Andrew. The sun had shined, and everyone had been in high spirits. And I had felt really good. No aftereffects from my trouble at work. I'd felt relaxed. 

As the fireworks started, at times I turned my head to watch Daniel gaze at the sky. The whole sky lit up with the colorful explosions and showers of stars that almost touched the ground before they winked out. We could hear the crowd's expressions of delight after the most beautiful displays. Finally, after about twenty minutes, it was time for the grand finale, and the whole sky filled all at once with repeated booms and sparkling displays. Probably twenty or thirty rockets had been fired in rapid succession.

I leaned over to Daniel and told him, "Daniel! This is just like us!!" I pointed at the heavenly light show. He nodded and laughed. 

When the sound from the last of the fireworks faded, Daniel turned to me and softly spoke. "No more independence for us, Jack," he murmured. "Dependence only. Only thing allowed..."

"'Kay, Danny." Sounded like a plan to me. I smiled at him.

We stood up and looked around. We could just barely see that Carter and Brian were sharing a kiss. I put a hand at the small of Daniel's back and drew him on the path back to the truck, folding our blanket as we walked. We left the other lovebirds alone. 

As we walked to the truck in companionable silence, I stole little glances at him. We were walking slower than most of the crowd around us, all streaming back to their vehicles. We were in our own little world, as usual.

"I never get sick of looking at you, you know," I told him.

He ducked his head, probably blushing, but I couldn't see in the dim streetlights. 

"On Tuesday, for your birthday, I have two or three surprises for you," I told him quietly. "I'll just tell you we're going away for most of the day. I have things all arranged. We'll have a good time."

"Can't wait," he told me. As we walked, he put his hand on my back for a moment and caressed me through my shirt.

I stopped walking and turned to face him. Others in the crowd walked past us as we just stood there and looked into each other's eyes. The streetlights were reflected in Daniel's glasses, and I could see his large pupils, rimmed in that wonderful blue. No more independence. He was right.

DANIEL

Jack launched himself at the bed, landing with a huge belly flop thunk right beside me. "DANIEL!!!"

God, what a way to start the day. And what the hell time was it, anyway? My morning person lover could be the most annoying guy in the world, anytime before about 9AM. And I guessed it was considerably earlier.

"Hmmmpf?" was about all I could come up with. Not too intelligent, but my brain cells were still asleep. Most of them, anyway.

"DANIEL!! Wake up. Happy birthday! Get up. The birds are singing, the sun is out, it's a great day, I fixed breakfast, we got things to do, wake up!" Yup, the most annoying person in the world.

I looked at him with one eye. Not only up, but showered and dressed and his eyes were big and wide, like mine couldn't get in the morning, ever. He smelled good, I could tell that. I couldn't quite see too well yet, but my nose was working. Bacon, and coffee. And cologne, that wonderful Obsession for Men I gave him for Christmas. Great combination of smells.

"You smell good, Jack," I mumbled at him, rubbing at my forehead wearily.

"What? Wake up, Daniel. Get up. Hurry up!" He was shaking my shoulder now. I batted his hand away. I attempted to pull the covers up around my shoulder and stuck my head deep into my pillow. No way.

He was pulling at the duvet, trying to yank it off me.

"Jack! I think I want a divorce. Let me sleep!" 

"No!"

"Yes!"

"No!"

More tugging. Quickly I took both of my hands and went for his throat. Maybe I could choke him and get him to be quiet. But when I let go of the duvet to throttle him, he yanked it off me. He started to laugh at me, and that made me madder. I was losing the battle here, and we both knew it. He threw his arms around me and we rolled around on the bed. Finally, we landed on the floor, and he squashed me flat. 

"JACK!" I hollered at him. "Oof! Get off me!" 

Not only did he not get off me, he ground his hips into mine and latched onto my mouth with his. He did feel pretty good. I couldn't breathe or anything, stuck between the hard floor and his 180 pounds, but damn, he did feel good. Me naked and him full clothed made for an interesting combination.

"Say uncle," he told me, and then kissed me again. What the hell?

"No," I managed to get out when he took a breath.

"Say it, or you're not getting up," he insisted. Kissed my neck then, and that felt pretty damn good too.

"Nope."

"Say it, Danny, or we'll lie here all day, I mean it," he insisted. Kiss, kiss, bite, lick... well, maybe that'd be an okay thing. I had to pee, but you know, a few minutes might be okay, and no way was I saying uncle.

"Aunt," I said.

"What? How perverse is that? But hey, it's your birthday, if you want to lie here all day and be difficult, that can be arranged."

He was snickering into my shoulder again. He must have gained weight; I was having trouble taking a deep breath.

"Jack..."

I really did have to pee. He was heavy over that part of me too. 

He started to laugh again. It was so enjoyable to hear him, I got the giggles too. Soon the two of us were losing it, and like Janet had told us, it was just what we needed.

I decided to tickle him, but I was afraid he'd knee me in the groin or something. I tickled him anyway. He howled, jamming his arms tight against his sides, and rolled off me. I jumped to my feet to get away while the getting was good. He'd succeeded in waking me up, anyway. Jack always got his damned way with me.

"Aunt, aunt, aunt!" I yelled at him, getting to my feet and making a dash for the bathroom. 

When I came out a couple of minutes later, he was still lying on the floor. He'd pulled one of the pillows off the bed and was lounging back on it, arms folded over his chest, his ankles crossed. His feet were bare. Dressed in white jeans and a pale yellow polo shirt, he watched me with his chocolate eyes. His skin was tanned from being outside on our vacation, and he looked the picture of health. His brown skin and eyes contrasted with his silver and gray hair.

I stood at the end of the bed, hands on hips, ready to holler at him again, but I just couldn't. I didn't seem to be able to get a breath again. I felt my blood rush to my groin, and the evidence of my interest was right there for him to see, too. 

"Woof," I told him quietly. I didn't have my glasses on yet, but I could see enough. Oh, yeah.

"Danny..." He said with a warning in his voice. He started to get up. "Don't start anything you don't want me to finish..." 

I stood there and looked at him. Licked my lips. 

JACK

Daniel always got his damned way with me. Woof said it, all right. I sat up, and then rolled onto my knees. I got up and sat on the edge of the bed. I crooked my index finger at him. C'mere...

I told him, "I'm all dressed and stuff. But if you want a little extra birthday present, the gift shop is open."

He came up to me, took his hard cock in his hands and leered at me. I leaned down a little and licked the tip of it, running my tongue around the slit at the end. Kissed it. He was still hanging onto it. I lifted my head and looked at him. His eyes narrowed as he stroked himself.

I started to sing, "Happy birthday to yooouuu..."

"Shut up, Jack," he said quietly. "Get busy." He put his hands on my head. I shut up. I got busy.

Later, while he was in the shower and getting dressed, I finished putting together the picnic lunch I had made us, and packed it along with some beer and soda in the cooler. I had napkins and glasses and stuff in another bag. I set all of that by the door. Daniel still didn't know what I had planned for the day, and that was the way I wanted it. I had his gifts in the bag, too, and checked to make sure they were still there. Didn't want to forget anything.

I started frying us up some eggs and rewarmed the bacon I had cooked earlier. Daniel's favorite coffee was all ready to go. I got the juice and glasses out, and got the table ready. He appeared finally, freshly showered, his hair still wet. And happy too, thank God.

"Wow, Jack, look at all you did. This smells great!" Dressed in dark blue jeans and a pale blue tee shirt, bare feet sticking out, I knew he had dressed for me. I was always trying to get him in blue.

"Thanks for the blue." 

I couldn't take my eyes off him. He smiled shyly, blinking at me with those incredible eyelashes. A slow pink blush started to spread on his cheeks.

He stepped over to me, to talk up close and personal. "Thanks for the yellow. Look at you. Once I got my eyes open this morning, you saw what you did to me. And for me." 

I swallowed. "It's your b-birth... day..." I stammered. I couldn't seem to get my eyes off his mouth.

"We better eat, Jack... you've got plans for us today, huh? All sorts of plans?" He took his finger and lifted my chin to look into my eyes. He very slowly kissed me. Now it was me with the problem in the groin. I leaned into him. He gave me a little smile.

"Later, Jack. There will be a later, and I'm not going anywhere without you..." 

Oh, yeah, you can bet your last dollar on that one, Daniel.

DANIEL

Jack had told me to wear my hiking shoes, no sandals, and to bring a jacket. We'd packed the truck and taken off, and I still had no idea where he was taking me. I sat back in my leather seat and enjoyed the trip. 

The sun was shining brightly, everything was green, and the day lay ahead of us like a wonderful gift I had yet to open. Peeling off the gift-wrap and looking inside this gift of a day was going to be great fun. I'd tried to talk Jack out of keeping this whole thing a secret in the beginning, but now I was glad he'd insisted.

After close to a half hour of travel, I noticed we were on the road leading to our local airport. So. This was getting more interesting.

Before we got to the main airport, Jack turned off on a smaller road that led us to a hangar I had never really noticed before. There were many small airplanes tied down around the place, like big bugs robbed of their ability to fly. I spotted a couple of helicopters, too. One of them idled near the building, rotors slowly turning. Jack pulled the truck into a parking spot and grinned at me as we took our seatbelts off. 

"Grab the blanket and that bag, Daniel. I'll get the cooler," he told me. 

He looked as pleased as punch with himself that he had pulled this off so far. I had a little inkling of what a wonderful dad Jack must have been to Charlie. He had a great sense of fun, and loved to try to bless the people he cared about. I couldn't seem to stop grinning to myself. 

Instead of going into the hangar office, Jack walked straight to the waiting helicopter. A man about Jack's age turned towards us from the pre-flight check he'd been doing and walked towards us. Jack dropped the cooler and held out his arms, and they hugged. They clapped each other on the back and laughed. Leaving one arm around his friend's shoulders, Jack turned to me to introduce him. He was shorter and heavier than Jack, with a dark mustache and hair and bright blue eyes.

"Sean! I'd like you to meet my partner, Daniel," he told him. Jack winked at me. I dropped what I was carrying and grasped Sean's hand. We smiled at each other.

"Nice to meet you," I told him. Where had Jack been hiding this friend?

I saw Sean's look as he sized me up. Jack had obviously already told Sean about us, and he would naturally have been curious about me. But I could tell that any friend of Jack's was probably a friend of Sean's. I returned his assessing gaze. It wasn't lost on me that Jack had called me his partner, either. Jack would have known that that would please me.

"Sean McDonald, an old flying buddy of mine, taught me everything I know!" Jack enthused. Sean elbowed him.

"Yeah, sure, Jack. Daniel, don't believe a word of it! I think it was the other way around. We had some great times sandwiched in between the horror show in Iraq, though, huh, buddy?" 

"Yup," Jack told him. "Daniel, Sean's gonna take us for a ride. He's the best 'copter pilot I know. And I told him not to scare the shit outta ya, to take it easy, okay?" 

"Happy birthday, by the way, Daniel," Sean said. He started picking up the stuff we had been carrying. "I specialize in birthday excursions, you'll do fine!"

"If Jack trusts you, you're okay by me," I told him. He laughed.

"Jeez, Jack, what've you been telling him? Have you mellowed in your old age, or what?"

We all laughed again and carried our stuff to our waiting helicopter. I had never ridden in a helicopter before. I had a dim memory of telling Jack that once, and also telling him I'd always wanted to. So this was my first... ah, second... gift of the day.

JACK

With Daniel in the front seat next to Sean, and me in the back, Sean was true to his word. He lifted the copter effortlessly into the clear blue morning sky. As the ground dropped away, I heard Daniel's intake of breath in my headphones.

"Wow..." was all he said. I heard Sean laugh. He would be enjoying this. He'd been a combat pilot in his day, alongside me. We had been through just about every kind of heaven and hell flying and the U.S. Air Force could dish up. In an airplane, I would have trusted Sean with my own life. And, in fact, had done so in the past. I knew that this precious Daniel cargo he was handling now was in the best hands.

"Jack has asked me to take you on a little tourist tour of the area before I take you to your destination, so we'll start by buzzing the airport, giving all those larger planes a wide birth, of course."

He banked slowly to the left, and the larger hangars and aircraft came into view. He stayed about a hundred feet up, letting us take a long look.

"You doing okay, Daniel?" I asked him, speaking into my microphone.

"Great," I heard him say. He was leaning towards his window, looking straight down at the ground. I of all people knew what Daniel was made of, and knew that he really didn't have an ounce of fear in him. I had told him over and over again that was why I had all those gray hairs. He'd gone where angels feared to tread many times in our old missions days, usually right in front of my disbelieving eyes and in spite of my protesting mouth. 

Sean took us over downtown Colorado Springs, including Daniel's apartment building. I heard Daniel laugh when it came into view. Then we flew over my house and my suburban neighborhood. We got close enough we could see a couple of kids look up and point at us. Then we flew back towards the mountains. 

We flew over the new Broadmoor arena complex where I had taken Daniel to play hockey and skate around a couple of times the winter before. We banked to the north and soon we were over the Garden of the Gods. The reddish rock formations looked even stranger from the air. Finally Sean turned for the mountains, getting us as close as he could. Even in July, there was a hint of snow in the highest peaks. The mountains were always awe inspiring, and at this altitude, with this unusual view, they were breath taking.

"There's Pike's Peak, at over 14,000 feet," I heard Sean tell Daniel, pointing at the huge mountain. "The pioneers, crossing the plains in their wagon trains, saw that peak weeks before they actually got to it, it sticks up so high."

"Okay," I heard Sean say. "I'll take you guys to where you're going now." He turned the helicopter to the north again and we followed above Route 24, and turned west into the mountains. After about ten minutes, he allowed us to start losing altitude. I could see Daniel's interest, as he looked first out the windshield, and then to both sides. He had to be dying of curiosity. I was pretty excited myself. 

DANIEL

There were some winding country roads beneath us, a house every quarter mile or so. We were in a pretty isolated area. It seemed to be hilly down there. No surprise, of course, seeing how we were in the foothills of the Rockies. Sean continued to drop us down. Suddenly, we were over a big field, surrounded by stonewalls and a few large trees. A paved road ran along the field to the east. He set down the helicopter about fifty feet away from the road.

"Okay, Daniel, we're here! Jack announced. Sean and I opened our doors. Jack was gathering up our stuff to pass out to me and climbing out behind us. I wasn't sure what we were doing here, but if this was it, this was it!

"Thanks, Sean, I'll take it from here," Jack told him. "Don't forget to come pick us up!! We'll see you at 1300." Sean shook his hand and gave me a wave, which I returned. Quickly, the helicopter's rotors sped up, it rose straight up, and then he was gone, leaving us in the sudden stillness.

"What is this place, Jack?" I asked him. I looked around, my arms wrapped around myself. 

He stepped up to me and slipped his arm around my shoulders. We turned in a slow 360-degree survey. He didn't say anything, just let me look.

Far away and downhill to the east ran Monument Creek, looking like a wide blue ribbon. To the west, the mountains rose magnificently as far as the eye could see. Far away to the north, the buildings of the U.S. Air Force Academy were visible. And to the south, green forest. We were standing in grass up to our knees, dotted with summer wild flowers. It was so quiet; you could hear the distant hum of insects and bees. 

Jack dropped his arm and turned to look at me. He smiled.

"This is yours," he told me. "All of it."

I looked around again. "What? This... this beautiful land?"

"Yes. Happy birthday, my love."

"Jack!" I turned around in a full circle, with my arms thrown out. "Mine?"

"Yes. I hope you will make it ours. But it's yours for now." He reached down to our bag, dug around a little, and came up with a fat white envelope. He opened it, drew out some papers, and presented them to me.

"Here is the deed, all signed and legal like. You are the proud owner of twenty acres of prime Colorado real estate, to do with as you wish.

"My hope is that you will build a house here. A house big enough for the two of us, with a library for you, and a TV room for me, and whatever else you want, but just one bedroom! When I retire, I want to live here with you. But it's all yours, Daniel, and we will do whatever you want. This is given to you with no stipulations. Only that you are happy, which is the only thing I ever want, when all is said and done."

I waited for his reaction, smiling and expectant.

JACK

He walked straight into my arms. Still holding the deed papers, his arms went around me and he pressed his head into my neck. He was shaking. I couldn't tell if he was crying. His muscles were quivering. I heard him gasp a couple of times, searching for his voice.

"Oh, Jack," I heard him say quietly into my shoulder. I squeezed him a little harder. 

"Love you, Danny. Happy birthday." He nodded. 

We stood like that for what felt like five minutes. He pressed his lips to my neck and just stood there quietly. Slowly the quivering stopped. I heard him sigh. 

He stepped back about a half step and searched my face with his eyes. He looked down at the deed papers and then suddenly grinned at me.

"I have never owned any property, Jack. Never. Nothing. I never lived anywhere that belonged just to me. And look at this... look at this Eden." He glanced around at the land again. "You did this for me? And are expecting nothing back? I am overwhelmed. I don't know what to say." He looked back at me and put his hand on my cheek. "Thank you, I guess. I can say it in some other languages, if you need me to."

"No, that's okay, English is enough. All you need to tell me is that you love me. And that you love my gift."

"Oh, Jack. I do. And I do." 

He was back in my arms again. He kissed me. His kiss promised me that I was going to be a part of his future. He really was too good to be true, always had been.

Finally I placed my hands on his shoulders and held him away from me a little. I put my hands on both sides of his neck, running my thumbs along his jawline.

"Thank you, Daniel, for loving me. I am the luckiest bastard in the world. I know I've told you that before, but look at us. Look at us together. When I met you, I never dreamed of any of this. Of the adventure, the danger, the problems, the responsibility, maybe, but I never let myself dream that anyone would care about me ever again.

"You are everything to me, Daniel. And when you're having your seventieth birthday, and I'm eighty, I hope we're still as hot for each other as we are now. I don't know what the future will bring us, and I don't really care, as long as I can have you with me like this."

His beautiful eyes filled with unshed tears. I gently took his glasses off and kissed his salty eyelids. "I love you more than my own life, Daniel Jackson. And I always will. I promise." 

Without a word, he put his head back on my shoulder. I heard him sniff. The trembling was back again. 

"Forever, Jack. You know that." He pulled back to look at me. 

I lifted my hand to caress his cheek. "I'm so glad, Daniel. You'll never know. I try to tell you, but English isn't cutting it. I'll keep trying, though. 

"I do have one final gift for you. Let's go over under a tree and get out of the sun," I told him. I handed him back his glasses. 

We walked about a hundred feet or so to find a place under a big oak tree that was giving lots of shade. Then I took the blanket and spread it out on the grass and we sat on it together Indian style, our legs crossed and facing each other, knees touching. 

DANIEL

Jack slipped off his sunglasses and let them hang on the cord around his neck. I was so glad to be able to see his eyes.

"Remember back at Christmas, when you had my ring for me, and we sat in front of the fire like we're sitting now? Remember what you asked me, to wear your ring?" Jack held his hand up to show me the ring, as if he needed to remind me. 

"Of course, Jack," I told him. How could I forget? I wondered where this was going.

Jack was digging in the bag again. This time he came up with a small black velvet box. * Oh, my God...*

He smiled at me, at my reaction as my mouth hung open, and opened the box for me to see the contents. Inside was a golden ring with a large square onyx on the top, and on the onyx was an eagle, wings outspread in flight. The diamond cutting on the wings reflected the light with a dull shine. Later, in the full sun, I knew it would light up.

Jack took the ring out of the box, reached for my left hand, and slipped it onto my ring finger. It was a perfect fit, as Jack's had been on him. It was identical to his ring. 

I took Jack's left hand and placed mine next to it. The two tiny eagles looked to be flying, side by side.

I looked up at him. His beautiful brown eyes were so full of love and trust. I reached for him and drew him over for a kiss. I caressed his face. We sat back and shared a little laugh.

"It's beautiful, Jack. I can't believe you did this," I told him. He just nodded and smiled.

"Daniel, you told me I was an eagle, remember? 'Strong and capable and free' I think were your words. And I don't know if you've ever known it or believed it, but you are, too. Sam and Teal'c and I, and Hammond, we all leaned on you, and I don't think you ever knew how much. I called you names and made fun of you sometimes, I was so in awe of your mind and your determination. I'm ashamed now about how I treated you at times. But the whole time, you were an eagle, and you still are."

I looked at my new ring and nodded. Jack was talking, and sharing, and I wasn't going to interrupt.

"So now we soar together. I want anyone who sees us together, who notices these rings, to put one and one together and make one. Us. You and me." 

I lay down beside Jack then, and pulled him down on top of me. I felt like at least for the moment, I had everything I needed.

"Jack," I told him softly, "Kiss me now. And don't ever ask me to say uncle again." 

"Okay, Danny," he whispered. "Let's fly." 

FINIS


End file.
